Two Great New Fly Rods From The Folks At RL Winston

2018 is going to be another big year for new fly rods and Winston is stepping up with two new offerings, the Kairos and Nimbus.

These two rods are a unique offering for Winston in a couple of ways. They are intended to introduce new anglers to the Winston brand, without landing them in the poor house. Winston sees these rods as mid-priced without compromise, and from what I’ve seen I agree. In my case they are kind of preaching to the choir. I’ve been a fan of Winston rods for a long time. I’m still pretty excited about these new sticks and as eager to get them out on the water as any rod I own.

There are a couple of things which are different about the Nimbus and Kairos. Both rods are full graphite rods containing no Boron. This helps reduce both cost and weight. Both rods are made at home in Twin Bridges, Montana, by the same hands as the Air, B3X, B3 Plus and LS. They have aluminum hardware, rather than nickel silver, again saving cost and weight but neither rod compromises on quality or craftsmanship in any way.

The Kairos is quite different for a Winston. It is a very fast action rod. Very light with a blistering recovery rate and power to spare. I have the 6-weight and have been using it for streamer fishing. I generally use a 7-weight for streamers but this 6 has plenty of backbone for the job. The lighter rod makes for less fatigue at the end of the day.

The Kairos is a slick natural gray with a durable, gloss clear coat for protection. It has black aluminum hardware and beautiful cork. It is powerful, but eminently castable. After all, Winston is all about feel. The Kairos is available in freshwater and saltwater weights from 3-10 and 6- and 7-weight spey. Single hand models come in at $475 and Spey at $575.

The Nimbus is a more nuanced fly rod. A fast action with a more traditional Winston feel. It is a precise casting tool, deadly accurate and easy to load but with plenty of power for the long cast. The rod reminds me of the Winston Air in its feel and performance. I have the 4-weight and find it to be an exceptional technical fishing rod. It served me very well on some recent spring creek fishing where accuracy and delicate presentation were crucial.

The Nimbus is a beautiful Prussian Blue with a protective clear coat. It has silver aluminum hardware and wood insert. It is a very refined rod which feels and looks expensive. It is available for freshwater and salt in weights from 3-10 and 6-8 in spey. It retails for $650 single-hand and $750 Spey.

If you’ve been dreaming of owning a Winston, now just might be the time. Winston is dedicated to putting a no-compromise, American-made fly rod within reach. They will begin taking orders for the Kairos and Nimbus on July 4th, 2017.